The international gastronomic restaurant scene demands world-class detail for both food, drink and overall experience. Lighting is designed to light an environment that enhances the restaurant experience and creates rooms to remember. The end result holds a high level of creativity that constantly gives the visitors new experiences, where the light takes place and emphasises both food, material and emotional states.

Restaurant Frantzén had two Guide Michelin stars before the new renovated restaurant was opened. The restaurant moved 2016 to a completely renovated 19th century building in the heart of Stockholm. The total area would go from 70 to 500 square meters. However, the number of guests would continue to be limited to 23 and these would be served by 23 people from the serving staff.

Black lighting design came into the project early on and got the assignment directly from the end customer through the interior designer who had already worked out an idea concept that the lighting team then interpreted from a light perspective and to reinforce and lift the visions contained in the concept. The basic idea was to jointly create a journey through the building where different experiences complement each other and make the visitor approach the gastronomy experience they are there to enjoy.

The trip comprises a total of 10 spaces that are all designed based on room activity, planned mood and orientation in the house. Björn Frantzén told himself about his vision as follows: “I don’t know of any restaurant in the world that is similar to what we create.” In addition, his stated goal is to be one of the world's best restaurants and to earn a third star in Guide Michelin.

The superbly executed lighting design plays a central role and raises the overall impression.

The team has worked with a great creativity in the treatment of light and shadow, to create very subtle and interesting effects. Contrasts, light levels and silhouette effects have been utilised in a sophisticated way to facilitate orientation and capture various details. A fine balance between the integrated light and the interior fittings creates well-being and harmony. The focus of illumination reinforces the most important thing - the culinary journey.

Beställare: Restaurang Frantzén
Ljusdesigner: Sofie Bamberg & Anna Ekberg
Arkitekt: Koncept Stockholm
Inredningsarkitekt: Joyn Studio
Elkonsult: Exengo
Elentreprenör: APQ el
Armaturleverantör: XAL, Rebel Light, Ateljé lyktan, iGuzzini & Modular
Leverantör av belysningsstyrning: Rebel Controls
Photo credit: Erik Lefvander, Stefan van der Kwast, Martin Botvidsson

This project shows a solid knowledge of the lights interaction with colour, shape and material. The project has been carried out with tremendous passion and expertise about study environments, and the belief in the young person and her legitimate demands for dignity. The ergonomic and innovative light treatment integrates both function, experience and atmosphere. Darkness has an obvious place in the lighting design and creates focus.

With great courage and creative power, the lighting designer stages original expressions of security, confidentiality and wonder that enhance the feeling in this unique learning environment.

The lighting solutions are created for different individual study situations, with varied sitting positions and working tools, digital as well as analog. Lighting is individually adaptable to the physical circumstances as well as to personal preferences of the students. In addition, it contributes to a calm, contemplative, pleasant atmosphere that stimulates corresponding.

The outer space is a shoe-free place for collaborative work and interaction, inspiring conversation. It is a room with lots of daylight, furnished for various social situations. There is a cool colour gamut in green, light blue and white. The luminaires are therefore equipped with slightly cooler light compared to the interior room (3000K and 2700K, respectively).

Insight (Insikten), the study room, is housed in a shelter with no daylight. Both furniture and lighting signal a quiet room for individual reading and work situations. What stands out here is the variety of different types of seating and different lighting solutions. The darkness is also here, to create focus around the working places.

This space offers many different ways to sit and change positions and working methods during study sessions. For different personal preferences as well as to be adapted to analog and digital reading and work situations, the lighting is also individually customizable. In the center of the room has 14 specially designed armchairs in a circle around the focal point of the room, a gas fireplace. It is a contemplative eye-catcher and visible from every place in the room. The gathering around the campfire is the archetype of meeting people in all cultures since ancient times. The circle is also no bigger than being able to read all the faces, which is perhaps the most important criterion for quality conversations. The acoustics in this part of the room can be instantaneously adapted to the conversation situation.

Beställare: Akademiska Hus AB
Ljusdesigner och Belysningsplanerare: Jonas Kjellander
Arkitekt: Jonas Kjellander
Medverkandearkitekter: Seidi Afverberg, Alberto Badillo, Rayyan Haddad, Sofia Lindholm, Maria Parent Trovik
Elkonsult: Brawida Sverige AB/Magnus Ringvall
Elentreprenör: Brawida Elservice Uppsala/Magnus Ringvall
Armaturleverantörer: Ateljé Lyktan, Bergdahls, Erco, Hidealite, Ljusdesign AB, Zero, Zlamp
Leverantör styrning: Brawida/KNX
Leverantör gasbrasa: Eldmakaren, Ruuthsbo
Specialsnickerier: Mobacken Trähantverk AB
Photo credit: Åke E:son Lindman and Mikael Silkeberg